


The Day the Clouds Came

by AdorableNihilist



Category: Game of Thrones (TV), The Witcher (TV)
Genre: Falling In Love, Heartache, Loss, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-27
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-12 19:27:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29015844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AdorableNihilist/pseuds/AdorableNihilist
Summary: A short fic about if/how Jaskier and Oberyn met and hit it off.
Relationships: Jaskier | Dandelion/Oberyn Martell
Comments: 3
Kudos: 13





	The Day the Clouds Came

**Author's Note:**

> This one absolutely came out of nowhere when I accidentally dove down the Sunshine Ship rabbit-hole on twitter. It possessed me and I could not know peace until I'd gotten it out of my system. I make no apologies, as per protocol.

It was rare for Jaskier to come across someone equal to himself in his ability to flirt and willingness to do so with anyone, regardless of gender. A few times he'd met women who were keen on both sexes and, more rarely, men. He'd had a grand time with all of them, but none of them had initiated their trysts. He'd spent time plying them with his sweet words until they returned his affections, though usually quietly. He didn't mind. He understood that people could be cruel and did not begrudge his lovers keeping their preferences a secret, though he made no secret of his own.

He was passing through some town with a name he couldn't later recall, very early on in his years as a bard, when a group called the 'Second Sons' came tearing through town in a raucous pack. He didn't notice much about the group as they strode through the street in front of the tavern he was playing at, beyond their poor manners and loud voices. When they entered the tavern, though, he was blinded by sunshine-embodied. His fingers fumbled on the strings as he stared at one of the most beautiful people he'd ever seen, blind to all of the others around him.

Oberyn saw Jaskier up on the dais before he'd even cleared the doorway, drawn instantly to the lovely sounds of the bard's song. He felt his face morph unbidden into that disarming smile of his, that he knew had reduced so many to weak-kneed and simpering heaps in his wake. He wasn't unaware of his effect on people, though he only occasionally used it to his advantage. The bard made eye contact with him and it instantly made his hands clumsy, the lute's strings suddenly humming in a discordant way that he struggled to recover from.

Oberyn chuckled and sat down as close as he could to the stage, watching as the dashing young bard resumed his song with reddened cheeks. He watched closely as one song gave way to the next, breaking eye contact only to request a fresh drink a few times. To the bard's credit, he easily recovered his composure and played the rest of his set with no issues, though he only tore his gaze away from Oberyn's a few times over the course of the hour to look around the room at the crowd.

No one in the room was paying much attention to his playing at all, aside from the handsome man in red who seemed hell-bent on making Jaskier catch fire with only his stare. When he couldn't sing any longer Jaskier slung his lute over his back and strode toward the table, eager to speak with this celestial being.

And speak they did. The pair made their introductions and then spent the next several hours chatting and drinking and laughing. Eventually Oberyn's compatriots all meandered off on their own to find company or dinner, but he declined to leave Jaskier's side. They shared stories of their travels with each other, of each of them occasionally being caught in bed with someone else's paramour, of their academic achievements, and shared interests in art and fashion.

Jaskier didn't need to make the first move this time. He blushed and stuttered in mild surprise as Oberyn made his intent plainly known, accepting the invitation to go somewhere more private without even a second's hesitation.

Jaskier's heart broke for the first time in his life when Oberyn had to leave the next morning with his company to find their next contract. He promised to write, though it didn't ease the ache in Jaskier's chest. They did write to each other, frequently and at length. Jaskier was flabbergasted to learn that Oberyn was a prince, despite his being a hired sword when they'd met. It didn't seem to bother Oberyn at all that Jaskier was a not-yet-all-that-successful bard.

They managed to catch each other on the road many more times over the next couple of years, meeting up and spending blessed days in each others' company before one or the other was called away by their duty. Oberyn wrote letters inquiring about Jaskier's songs and his successes and failures on his tours. He told Jaskier about his own life and they kept no secrets from each other. It was easy for them to tell each other the truth, neither judging the other for anything and always seeming to understand the other's position.

Jaskier stayed in touch with his prince when he began his studies at the citadel, and when he eventually grew bored of those and left. Jaskier comforted Oberyn as best he could when he wrote with the news of his sister and managed to find his way to Dorne to be there for him in person. Oberyn told Jaskier that he appreciated the company but that it was not necessary, although he enjoyed the opportunity to show Jaskier his home.

Jaskier stayed for a months that felt like days at the end of it all, but eventually he insisted that he make his way home to continue his work there. He knew in his heart that Oberyn would stay in touch and would visit when he could. That was the first time since they'd met that Jaskier's heart had steered him wrong.

Oberyn went shortly after to King's Landing, his feet touching the shore just as Jaskier was stepping onto a stage in Cintra to perform for Queen Calanthe for the first time. Oberyn sent Jaskier a letter that night, telling him where he was and what he intended to do. He wrote to tell him that he was certain he'd be victorious. He also apologized for the chance that he might not be, reminding Jaskier of his love and begging him not to be furious should the worst happen.

Jaskier didn't eat for days, eaten up inside with worry and terror. When another letter never came he was certain. His heart broke for the second time and this time it did not mend. He wailed and wept and nearly destroyed his lute in his anguish, blinded by tears and rage.

The lute remained in its case for months, Jaskier deep in his cups until his purse was completely empty and he had no choice but to play once more. The sun had died, leaving him only with cold grey skies and angry thunderstorms rumbling deep within his chest. His music suffered greatly for his mood at first, but eventually he managed to gather himself enough to keep up appearances. Late at night he would sing to himself of his prince, the sun that disappeared behind the clouds never to return, leaving him in total darkness.

**Author's Note:**

> I love the thought of Jaskier and Oberyn being the most sunshine/rainbows/musical bisexual power-couple in the universe. I just also cannot stop being an angst-monger. I hope this one was enjoyable, despite the sad ending. It was the only way it made sense in-canon for my brain. I imagine a few years passes before Jaskier meets Geralt, so his heart has healed a little. He would keep his past heartache a secret and it would explain why he can't seem to tell Geralt that he loves him. He's scared his little bard heart will be broken again.


End file.
